Loewe Monument (Szczecin)

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This was originally a monument to the composer Johann Carl Gottfried Loewe, usually known as Carl Loewe. Born in western Prussia in the town of Löbejün in Saxony, Loewe moved to Stettin in 1820, where he was the organist and cantor at St. James' Cathedral. It was here that he did his most famous work, including operas based on the writings of Goethe and Mickiewicz; however, he did not achieve popularity until later in life. After a tour of Europe, he returned to Germany, first living in Stettin and then moving to Kiel, where he died of a stroke in 1869. His heart was entombed in Stettin, inside of one of the pillars of the cathedral that he had so loved.

On November 30, 1897, a monument to Loewe was erected in front of the cathedral to mark the 28th anniversary of his death. The memorial was designed by Hans Weddo von Glümer, who also designed Stettin's Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial. However, the statue of Loewe disappeared in WWII, leaving only the red granite base, and no one knew what became of it or whether it was destroyed. Rumors say that in the face of the Russian advance the statue was either taken further into Germany or was hidden in the cellars of one of the surrounding building.

In 1992 a new statue of the Virgin Mary was installed on the pedestal.